Here’s what tens of thousands of people who didn’t forget Tiananmen look like

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Leading up to the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, when hundreds of people were killed in a military crackdown on pro-democracy protests, the Chinese government has done its best to ensure that the episode is successfully erased from Chinese citizens’ memories. It could not, however, enforce amnesia on Hong Kong, where tens of thousands gathered at the city’s Victoria Park to mark the anniversary with a candlelight vigil. Here are some of the powerful images from that event:

The Goddess of Democracy. (Reuters/Paul Yeung)Young people gathered in Victoria Park, Hong Kong. (Reuters/Bobby Yip)Students walk with a wreath. (Reuters/Bobby Yip)A woman takes part to the candlelight vigil for Tiananmen anniversary. (Reutes/Bobby Yip)“Fight to the end.” (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)People hold up their candles in remembrance. (Reuters/Bobby Yip)A view from above. (Reuters/Bobby Yip)

UPDATE: The South China Morning Post reports that the number of people in attendance was 180,000 according to the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements, and 99,500 according to the police.